**“Abstract Painting (894-2)”** (2005) , by **Gerhard Richter** *( Image source: twocoatsofpaint.com )*

ART PHILOSOPHY

Contemporary painting (2)

Contemporary art refers to all works of art created since 1945 and up to the present day, whatever the style, the medium used and the artistic movement to which they belong.

After the first article on: “New artistic currents of contemporary painting“, here is a fundamental article to understand the solid bases of contemporary painting, which are its main characteristics.

2) The main characteristics of contemporary painting:

You have to be able to distinguish contemporary artistic works from others for several purposes: If you are an art lover looking for a work for you. If you are a beginner artist who dreams of a place in the art world. If you are a collector of works, for fun, or to earn big in the Art market. And, if your profession has links with art, as an architect, home designer, decorator, antiquator, textil designer, ….
Contemporary painting differs from traditional art and modern art by 4 characteristics:

“**Trade Passage Saint-Andre”** by Balthasar Klossowski de Rola Balthus *( Image source : desdeelotroladodelcuadro.blogspot.com )*

a) Free imagination:

The artist has no more limits for his imaginations. He dives into the micro-depth of the ordinary, or out of the ordinary; He creates his personal conception of the world and of life, as he can modify real subjects or invent his subject far from our universe.
The contemporary artist uses the weapon of the freedom of imagination, to challenge, radically, the domination of classical and academic art, and to challenge the domination of the photographic and industrial image.

**“LILET ON A BENCH”** (2007), by **SAM SZAFRAN** *( Image source: glup2.blogspot.com)*

b)Technological innovation:

Contemporary artists benefit greatly from all technical developments, which are the result of extraordinary advances in industries, sciences and computer tools.
If painters continue to use traditional tools, such as watercolor, pencils, ink, gouache, oil, lacquer, canvas, wood, paper, … they took advantage, largely, new productions of these tools, much more efficient. ..They used, after the 2ww, acrylic, encaustic, … They integrated natural materials (such as sand, rocks, gold, …) … they worked on new supports, such as urban elements (wall, ..), and especially computer tools (digital) ….. Without forgetting, the radical changes in shapes and dimensions of contemporary paintings.